Warriors fold tents for the season

Ruidoso loses to Silver City, 37-10, in state semi-finals

The Ruidoso football players will have to hang their cleats up for the winter after losing at Silver City Friday evening, 37-10, in the second round of the state playoffs. To be sure, it was a disappointing loss for the Warriors who had come so far this season - winning the first six games in a row and then going on to win four consecutive games after losing to Silver City Oct. 12, 38-6. By winning the 10th contest of the regular season against Lovington, 23-0, RHS won its first district championship in 23 years. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Included in their 10 wins, the Warriors notched four shutout wins. In those shutouts, Ruidoso outscored it opponents, 175-0.

In Friday's loss to Silver City, it was nearly a replay of the prior defeat to the same team. In the Oct. 12 contest, Ruidoso threw three interceptions and lost one fumble. In the semi-final game the Warriors threw five interceptions (one for a TD) and also lost one fumble.

"The boys came to Silver ready to play," RHS head coach Kief Johnson said. "The Warrior defense stepped up on the first Silver series and forced the Fighting Colts to punt. They also came through a couple of times after that and got the ball back for our offense."

By halftime it was 17-3, Silver City, but it was still a ball game.

"We were only down two TDs," Johnson said. "I told the boys to go out and properly execute our plays in the second half."

In the last two quarters of play, Silver outscored Ruidoso 20 to 7 and for the Warriors the 2012 season was over.

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The touchdown RHS did score in the fourth quarter was a classic draw play where Devon Carr ran up the middle and through five Silver defenders for a 61-yard score.

"I'm proud of our boys for never quitting and fighting until the final buzzer," Johnson said. "We have to get over the bitter taste of losing in the semi-final game and remember the great season we achieved, going 10-2. We only lost to one team - Silver City - but the boys earned a district title along the way.

"With that I am happy for our seniors and underclassmen. They put in a lot of hard work in the in the off-season in the weight room and on the field, as well as countless hours during the season. They practiced harder than ever before."

This year the Warriors rushed for 2,289 yards and passed for 1,724 yards.

The coaches and players coming back already are planning for next year. They all gave it some thought on the way back from Silver and for a few days afterward.

"There are some talented players who will compete for positions next year," Johnson said. "This year's team has set a precedent for hard work in the off-season and have accomplished much. Some of the returning players have already mentioned working harder to get the Blue Trophy (No. 1 in state) next season.

"I hate to give a final speech at the end of the season, but this year I was well-pleased with our young men's efforts and strong work ethics they displayed in the course of the season.

"I told them at the beginning of the year, that they had to earn their 'tears' by the end of the season. If you've worked hard at something in life and it means a lot to you then you've earned the right to shed tears when you're defeated. If you don't put the effort in then why even cry?"